Wishing It Was
by Sushi Chi
Summary: All Arthur wants is a friend.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.  
>AN: This idear had been in a my head for a while, glad I finally got it written. Not beta'd. Hope you enjoy it. **

Since Arthur was small, he never had a companion. No friends to confide with, no one to sneak around the castle with, nobody to help save him from Gaius' Eyebrow. He tried to have an imaginary friend, having heard that it was a normal childhood way to fight loneliness, but his father didn't let him think much about having such a common experience.

Instead of having an imaginary friend, Arthur just thought about what qualities he would want in a best friend. The nameless friend would be funny, making Arthur let down his guard. He would be nice and do things for Arthur when he'd ask. Be loyal and support him. And he would be a boy for sure, because girls were gross.

Then Morgana came.

She wasn't what Arthur wanted. She wasn't nice to him, she didn't make Arthur laugh. Morgana made fun of him and forced herself into his training classes. She would ride horses with him, archery and the sword. When the instructor would compliment her, she would just smirk at Arthur. Plus she was a _girl_.

She was not his friend.

One time when Arthur wasn't sleeping well, Gaius brought him a sleeping draught. "Is there something on your mind, sire?"

Arthur frowned, "No."

"Are you sure?" Gaius sat down next to him on the bed.

After an assessment as to if he could trust Gaius or not, he said, "I don't have a friend."

"Ah." Gaius nodded, "But there is the Lady Morgana."

"She is not a friend." Arthur stated clearly.

"Can I tell you a secret, sire?" Gaius asked after a second.

"Of course." Arthur sneered, as if any of his subjects should keep secrets from him.

It seemed like Gaius wouldn't ever share the secret, but after a few minutes, he spoke, "Before you were born, sire, magic was still allowed in the kingdom. A small amount of it remains, it cannot be taken out of the world." It was a few seconds more before he continued, "One of these small magics left is the wish. If you wish enough, sire, wanting it enough, a wish can be granted."

"I just wish?" Arthur raised an eyebrow, not believing.

"You must wish on the first star of the night." He paused once more, "But know that just because you wish doesn't mean it will happen. But it's best if you don't give up, sire, for it can take years for the star to give in to your demands."

"But I am prince." Arthur crossed his arms, "It should be thrilled to grant my wish."

"Ah, but stars are far away, sire, and it takes years for them to hear our wish."

But Arthur took Gaius' words to heart, he would look upon that star, only for moment and think about this nameless friend he wanted. After some time, he began thinking about more qualities his friend would have.

Arthur's companion wouldn't be as good looking as him. Arthur had to be the better one. So, maybe his friend would have some sort of feature that made him different. Maybe a big nose, or ears. But to counteract the big ears, his friend would be kind. Always willing to give whatever he could to help someone else. He would be awkward and clumsy and not want to keep secrets from Arthur. But he would stand up for what he believed in.

They would be comrades. As he once heard a commoner say, they would be 'two sides of the same coin' and stay together through their fierce loyalty. They would risk their life for one another, thinking about nothing other than the survival of their friend.

When Arthur was a teenager, he had the odd thought that maybe his friend would have magic. The thought quickly left his mind, but the next day, it came back. He decided that his friend would be a good sorcerer, the most powerful one in all of Albion. One who could defeat all the others.

As Arthur grew older, he stopped wishing for this friend, only thinking about him rarely. He didn't look up at the star and wish as he used to. He no longer wasted birthday wishes on his friend, no longer wasted coins in the local wishing well, no longer felt the need for a friend. Nor did he believe in wishes, they clearly didn't work. Magic was out of the land, only living in the people who had corrupted souls.

He didn't blame Gaius, as Gaius had given hope to him when he was young. Hope that maybe his lonely days wouldn't always be so lonely.

Even though Arthur had given up on wishing for his friend, he found his thoughts would betray him once in a while and he'd picture the man he had built in his mind. Or he'd imagine what they would be doing or joking about.

Thus, it came as a complete surprise when Arthur was practicing throwing knives at a moving target when he heard a voice.

"Hey, come one. That's enough."

Arthur looked up and saw a peasant that somehow looked familiar, "What?"

"You've had your fun my friend."

He looked so familiar. "Do I know you?"

"Uh, I'm Merlin."


End file.
